Feelings on Atheism

I am a Christian, and a strong one at that. But as far as respect for atheists goes, I have plenty. I'd say I was equally likely to stand up for an atheist who was being treated harshly because of his beliefs as a Christian in the same situation.
Firstly, my family all consider themselves to be atheist, and yet are willing to drive me unholy(no pun intended) distances to various church events, so I don't have any basis to criticize them for their beliefs. Secondly, if everyone believed the same thing, it would be boring. And lastly, you personal beliefs have to be a choice. It has to be something you decide, free of pressure, based on what you have seen and what you feel. Otherwise, there's really no point.

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I'm quite happily atheist. If you leave me alone about my beliefs, I'll leave you alone about yours. I consider it fair trade.

I don't care what others believe. If it makes them happy, where's the harm? I just ask for respect, and I give it in return.

It makes no sense in being a theist or an atheist at all.Belief or non belief in God cannot play a role in influencing what happens in your life.

If your an atheist God does not matter.If your a theist,God still can't talk to you like a normal human being face to face.Getting to him means calling an area with no signal.

God's unavailable either ways.Since his role in the world is thus not influential,it makes most sense to go about our daily activities without sparing thoughts for theism or atheism.There are a lot more urgent things on hand for mankind.

Its best that we spare no thoughts for theism and atheism.

hey...its your opinion...,pal...your opinion

I'd just like to remind everybody this isn't a debate thread. This is just a place to share your feelings. Please keep posts civil!

I don't really care about another person's religious orientation. So long as they live by good morals and principles, then they're good people and worthy friends in my book. ^^

Young gun wrote:It makes no sense in being a theist or an atheist at all.Belief or non belief in God cannot play a role in influencing what happens in your life.

If your an atheist God does not matter.If your a theist,God still can't talk to you like a normal human being face to face.Getting to him means calling an area with no signal.

God's unavailable either ways.Since his role in the world is thus not influential,it makes most sense to go about our daily activities without sparing thoughts for theism or atheism.There are a lot more urgent things on hand for mankind.

Its best that we spare no thoughts for theism and atheism.

I'd have to respectfully disagree with you on that. I think that whether or not you believe in God can have an enormous influence on your life. A fundamentalist Christian who believes every word of the Bible to be literally true will live their life in a radically different way than Buddhist would, or an Atheist, or even someone from another Christian denomination. Many people use their religious beliefs as the central guiding factor in the big decisions of their life, such as who they associate with, where they hang-out, what things they believe are moral/immoral, etc. All of that is based around what their beliefs are.

None the less, I do agree that it's impossible to know FOR SURE whether or not there's a God, and thus the importance of it is somewhat diminished because of this.

I'm an atheist and the only misconception about it that really ever bothered me was when people think, by calling myself by such a word, that it gives me freedom to do bad things. To kill, cheat, lie. I may be an atheist but I'm also a morally sound person and I do it not because I get something out of it in the end. I do so just because I can.

If God was really this almighty being who brought peace to those of good heart, then how can he deny someone the admittance in such a 'heaven' when they haved lived their lives good and real and true. Just because the 'belief' isnt there. It seems terribly malevolent to me seeing as some only do good so that they can gain this admittance and nothing more.

So I dont hate myself for doubting, for being a skeptical. If there is a heaven out there than I was wrong and I can admit that justly.

So if I got to hell because my belief is not there, than I shall gladly accept it. I don't need to believe in anything ^_^

Not saying I think people who do believe are wrong. I am quite jealous of that ability seeing as I'm too doubtful to ever call myself anything other than an atheist. In fact, if you asked me what my religion was, I would say love for love is a just enough cause.

Thats my opinion!
~The.Dreamwalker

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I agree with both of you. That comment is the one thing that bothers me most, as if it's impossible to be moral without religion or God. It especially annoys me when a Christian says that being atheist is just a way of not accepting responsibility for your misdeeds, when they can go and pray be "absolved" of all their sins, no matter what they do. Even a serial killer on his deathbed whose murdered and tortured his whole life could go to heaven as long as he "became saved" before dying. How is that in any way accepting responsibility? The concept pretty much boils down to, as long as you "believe" in God, you go to heaven. If you don't, you go to hell. With this way of thinking, none of your sins really even matter in the long-run.

I admit I am drawing mostly from my experience with Fundamentalist Christians (I went to a Baptist high-school), so my views may be a little biased. None the less, it's a fact that many Christians across many denominations thinks this way (obviously I'm not intending to say that ALL Christians are like this, but a portion definitely is).

If God was really this almighty being who brought peace to those of good heart, then how can he deny someone the admittance in such a 'heaven' when they haved lived their lives good and real and true. Just because the 'belief' isnt there. It seems terribly malevolent to me seeing as some only do good so that they can gain this admittance and nothing more.

Dreamwalker
James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

I'm not going to get into the whole Works debate, because I simply don't have a strong enough grasp of scripture to do that, but I think it was Martin Luther who made the interpretation of James that a man is justified (declared righteous before God) by Faith alone, but not by a Faith that is alone.

Thus those that "only do good so that they can gain this admittance" will probably not be getting in because good works are an aspect of faith, not a toll you pay for admittance. This is, I think, also key to your misunderstanding of the nature of Grace, it is given freely and need only be recognised and accepted. It is a low standard, but one that Atheists cannot meet because to accept Grace would force them to acknowledge God and to recognise the sacrifice that Jesus made.

The concept pretty much boils down to, as long as you "believe" in God, you go to heaven. If you don't, you go to hell. With this way of thinking, none of your sins really even matter in the long-run.

Francis
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.

Christianity is more complex than you paint it, please understand what you are criticizing before you do so.

Sourcing something less prestigious but probably more known to you: the strong Christian allegory in Deathly Hallows has Voldemort given the option of redeeming himself and mending his soul by showing genuine remorse and yet it is entirely in keeping with his character that he chooses not to. To say that it is conceptually possible for a serial killer to seek redemption is true, but that does not make it likely.

And who are you to deny them that option?


I am sorry if this post offends anyone, it was not intended to do so. I do hope, however, that it is responded to.

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I would consider it more like you're drowning in the sea and someone throws you a life preserver, shouting "grab it and swim to the boat".

At which point you shout "what life preserver?" and promptly drown.

I would fault neither the life preserver nor the boat's captain.

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AA I guess that's where the analogy really ends, you either accept it or you don't. I could couch it another half dozen ways but I have a feeling you've heard them all before.

I could offer to pray for you, but I remember how condescending I found such an offer when I was an atheist.

I guess all that leaves is a parting thought.Ignoring the cultural fluff built up around Dante's Inferno, how different is the atheist concept of death to the Christian concept of hell? Eternity in a Godless darkness appears to be acceptable in a Godless paradigm, and yet a heinous offence against the individual in a paradigm where God is merely ignored.